Timor Leste 2024 Trip A Blog

The day started with a mass celebrated by Fr Olek, it was a beautiful way to end our stay with the sisters and children. We packed up, said our sad goodbyes and headed off to Klibur Domin. St Sabina would have liked to keep Xan, but we smuggled him out with us.

At Klibur Domin we learnt about TB in Timor and what they are doing to prevent and treat it. It was also great to see on old Mount Gambier playground repurposed and loved.

After a long bumpy ride we arrived at the Bakhita Centre, our home for the next two nights. We arrived to some good coffee and a chance for a siesta. Well rested we visited the church that Eddie is building, it is an amazing structure that was built with a lot of thought. The outside resembles a boat, that represents that God is present in our life in both calm and stormy waters. In the inside of the church, there is a heart that reminds us to pray from the heart while embracing hope and dignity.

Next we went for a walk to the cross perched high on a hill. The countryside and small village nestled below the hill was beautiful and somehow peaceful. When we returned the students had their first shower for a few days. A simple dinner was devoured and followed by a presentation of a tais and coffee beans which will go a long way to improve the smell of the boys room. The night finished with us practicing a song for our visit to Letefoho tomorrow.

Today, we celebrated mass in a simple chapel at the Bakhita Centre. It was another beautiful service by Fr Olek, supported by the students doing readings. We are never short of volunteers and it has been lovely to witness them engaging on a deep level with Fr Olek’s homily’s as well as Eddie’s wise words.

Today we also finally got to eat the delicious bread rolls Mana Bernadette has been raving about, they were as good as she said they would be! We then went to Letefoho, a short distance but long drive because of the bumpy windy roads. We started with morning tea at the priests home then ventured to the school.

The students were given permission to travel in the back of utes (with the priest and Eddie driving very carefully). They thought they were royalty, waving to their people as they travelled the short distance to the school. The singing at the school was AMAZING, they sing with heart and put our rendition of Riptide to shame. The Tenison Woods College students introduced themselves and then told the Timor students what their dreams are.

After the formal talks, our students got to interact with the Timor students. They enjoyed soccer, rock-paper-scissors and singing some of their favourite songs. Lunch was back at the priests house, then some of our students went for a walk to a Cristo Rei statute which is very high (I mean really high, 1600m above sea level!). The less adventurous drove up in a car. The statue and the way up was very symbolic, the stairs were in the shape of a snake with a tail that moved. The snake represented our sins and that our sins are ever present. As you walked up the stairs different levels represented the capital sins such as adultery, lying, gambling, envy, greed and anger. The view from the top was spectacular and well worth the climb.

Back at the Bakhita Centre, our students were entertained with a game by Fr Olek. Another wonderful day, and we are all looking forward to visiting our sister school in Hatolia tomorrow!